The physiologic impact of sleep apnea on wakefulness.

The physiologic impact of sleep apnea on wakefulness is believed to be mediated by sleep fragmentation secondary to airway obstruction. Although there has been much study on the association between sleep apnea and daytime sleepiness, little is known about the effects of sleep apnea on non-sleepiness-related manifestations of impaired wakefulness, such as fatigue and depression. Present studies suggest that impaired wakefulness secondary to sleep apnea probably plays a contributory role in traffic and industrial accidents.